The Laboratory has released to the public the results of a "risk
assessment" conducted for its National Tritium Labeling Facility. The
assessment shows that people who work at the Lab, as well as those on the UC
Berkeley campus or who live in surrounding neighborhoods, incur virtually no
increased risk of cancer as a result of the facility's operations.

Tritium is a radioactive form of hydrogen that emits beta particles (high-speed
electrons) as it decays. If one or more hydrogen atoms in a chemical compound
are replaced with atoms of tritium, biomedical researchers can monitor the
emission of radiation and follow the compound as it moves through living cells.
This is an important technique for studying biological processes or testing the
effectiveness of new pharmaceuticals. The Berkeley Lab is the only
user-facility in the United States where tritium-labeled compounds for
biomedical studies are prepared.

The radiation emitted by tritium cannot penetrate clothing or skin, and travels
only about five millimeters (two-tenths of an inch) through the air. However,
tritium can be taken into the body by breathing tritiated water-vapor in the
air, or by eating or drinking tritium-contaminated food or water. In response
to community concerns, the Lab conducted a formal analysis of the risks posed
by the National Tritium Labeling Facility, the only significant source of
tritium at the Laboratory.

Specific findings of the assessment show that Laboratory employees who work in
the immediate area outside of the facility are exposed to tritium levels that
are one-ten thousandth (.0001) of the occupational health limits set by federal
regulations and recommended by the International Commission on Radiological
Protection. Their added risk of developing a fatal cancer as a result of this
exposure amounts to less than one percent of what everyone in this country
risks as a result of natural or "background" radiation--radiation that is
always present in the environment. The increased cancer risk for local
residents and people on the UC Berkeley campus, as well as other Laboratory
workers, amounts to one-hundredth of one percent.

The 90-page report was prepared by Thomas E. McKone and Kevin P. Brand of the
Health and Ecological Assessment Division at Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory. It is entitled: "Environmental Health-Risk Assessment for Tritium
Releases at the National Tritium Labeling Facility at the Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory. Copies can be obtained by calling Shaun Fennessey at
X5122.

A team of researchers led by Life Sciences' Judy Campisi has
developed the first technique for identifying cells within living organisms
that have reached old age.

Senescent cells, as they are called, no longer are capable of dividing yet
remain metabolically active. Furthermore, they exhibit changes in form and
function such as are evident between the supple skin of a child and the
wrinkled skin of the elderly.

Scientists know senescence is an irreversible stage in the life of the cell,
yet they are intent upon learning more about this vital process. Senescence not
only may be an underlying cause of aging but also a means for preventing the
uncontrolled growth of cells--what we know as cancer.

In an article published Sept. 26 in the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences, the research team describes a simple, rapid, and inexpensive
test for identifying senescent cells. The new test, developed by Campisi, Life
Sciences' Goberdhan Dimri, and colleagues at several other research
institutions, gives science a powerful new tool for examining senescence.

Campisi says that because it had not been possible to detect or study senescent
cells in a living animal ("in vivo" ), the research until now has focused on
cells grown in culture. She says the new technique has provided the first
actual evidence that senescent cells may exist in living organisms, and that
they accumulate with age.

The ability to distinguish senescent cells in vivo should allow researchers to
take a much closer look at their suspected role in tumor suppression and
aging.

"One could say that senescence is the opposite of cancer," says Campisi.
"Some of the same genes that drive uncontrolled proliferation in cancer seem to
be under tight control, or actually turned off, in senescence."

Currently, many researchers are searching for genes with anti-proliferative or
tumor-suppressive properties. Some are involved in basic science, such as, the
quests to understand the processes of aging and cancer. Others are attempting
to develop drugs and diagnostic procedures.

The new technique should allow scientists to screen compounds for
senescence-inducing or senescence-delaying activity. These compounds may have
anti-tumor or anti-aging properties. The method also can be used to identify
genes able to stop cancerous cells from replicating. Likewise, it should help
in the isolation of genes that trigger premature aging syndromes.

Campisi said the technique emerged after researchers discovered that senescent
cells produce or express an unusual form of a particular enzyme. This enzyme,
beta-galactosidase, either is absent or virtually absent in its
senescence-associated form in presenescent cells.

Based on this finding, a simple assay was developed that uses a stain to detect
the presence of the enzyme. Old cells--those that express the
senescence-associated beta-galactosidase--turn blue.

Why senescent cells produce the enzyme is unknown. Campisi says it is unlikely
that this activity is responsible for shutting down the ability of a cell to
proliferate. Instead, she said, the enzyme probably is a consequence of
senescence and most likely associated with the change in cell function that
invariably accompanies senescence.

Researchers report that the senescence-associatedbeta-galactosidase is
expressed by a variety of senescent human cells but that it is not a universal
biomarker for senescence in every cell type. Among those cells for which it is
a marker are two skin cell types--fibroblasts and keratinocytes.

"In vivo studies show that young skin has thick dermis with organized collagen
fibers," Campisi says. "Old dermis is thin, with less collagenand
less-organized collagenfibers. Senescent fibroblasts in culture are
well known to produce large amounts of collagenase, the enzyme that degrades
collagen. Thus, senescent cells not only stop dividing, but change function.

"And, examining skin from human donors of various ages, we now have shown that
the frequency of fibroblasts and keratinocytes expressing the
senescence-associated beta-galactosidaseincreases markedly with age."
This, she says, suggests that the thinning of the skin that occurs with age may
be due to the accumulation of senescent, collagenase-producing fibroblasts. The
in vivo studies were done in collaboration with Monica Peacocke at the New
England Medical Center.

Campisi said it would be foolish to attempt to completelyreverse
senescence in cells on the basis that the cessation of growth prevents cancer.
On the other hand, the ability to manage or alter the changes in form and
function that are synonymous with senescence--what is known as the senescentphenotype--has obvious value.

The biotech industry one day may attempt to change the phenotype of senescent
cells, for instance, as a way to deal with the skin problems of older people.
The new assay should prove helpful as a first line test to discover new drugs
and monitor their effects in vivo.

CAPTION -- Judy Campisi and her team have developed the first technique for
identifying "old" living cells.

Wasting no time on his first day at work, UC President Richard C.
Atkinson met with news reporters and gave a "thumbs-up" to the Berkeley,
Livermore and Los Alamos labs and their continued management by the
University.

"I think the laboratories are incredibly important for the country at this time
in our history. They need to be run in a way that maximizes the relationship
between the work they do and the work the goes on at universities around the
country, not just at UC," Atkinson said in a "get acquainted" session with
about 25 news reporters at UC systemwide headquarters in Oakland.

"My personal opinion is that it's too important a project for the University
not to continue managing these labs," he said. "I frankly think that the
University of California can do a better job than anyone else--certainly better
than private contractors and the like--of managing the laboratories and
ensuring that the quality of research the labs are doing is outstanding. I
believe that it's important for the University to continue in this
direction."

Atkinson, 66, an internationally respected scholar in psychology and cognitive
science who was chancellor of UC San Diego for 15 years, met with reporters
Monday after starting his first day on the job as UC's 17th president. He said
he'd had a hard time finding a first cup of coffee and that he and his wife
Rita, also a psychologist, would be living in a "tiny two-bedroom apartment"
across Lake Merritt while roof and electrical repairs are being done on the
president's official residence in Kensington.

"My living conditions are a little unique," he quipped.

Later, Atkinson talked by phone with the directors of the three UC-managed
laboratories and greeted headquarters employees at a reception, saying that he
planned to visit all parts of the UC system in coming months.

The 90-minute meeting with reporters touched on a wide range of topics. Along
the way, Atkinson urged students to perform more public service work as part of
their UC education; affirmed the need for a 10th UC campus in Merced; discussed
funding projections for the UC system; advocated alternative teaching methods;
said he would consider downsizing UC's central administration staff; and
expressed his own commitment to student and staff diversity.

Throughout the session, Atkinson returned to his twin goals for his
presidency--to ensure that UC continues to provide the highest possible quality
of education to students and to maintain UC's leadership role in delivering
"cutting edge" research for the benefit of California and the nation.

Atkinson, a former director of the National Science Foundation, sounded the
same theme in commenting on the national laboratories and their relationship
with the University, while also stressing the need for continued federal
funding in basic research.

Once again, the Department of Energy has designated October as Energy Awareness
Month. This year's theme is "Energy Fuels our Future." All employees are
encouraged to support the spirit of Energy Awareness Month by turning off
lights and electrical equipment when they are not needed. This action and the
others listed below will support the Lab's goal to reduce operating costs and
run more efficiently.

Turning off idle computer monitors nights and weekends that are currently
left on would save about 720 megawatt hours for a cost savings of more than
$40,000 annually. Computers can be left on so that networking, nightly backup,
and telecommuting can still occur. Note: screen savers save only a negligible
amount of electricity.

Turning unneeded printers off nights and weekends would save approximately
380 megawatt hours for a savings of almost $20,000 annually.

Turning copiers off at night and weekends would save approximately 220
megawatt hours and more than $11,000 annually. Some copiers have power-saver
modes that when enabled during the day would save even more electricity and
money.

Closing sashes on fume hoods when not needed would save an estimated 1,700
megawatt hours and 330,000 therms per year for a cost savings of more than
$200,000 annually.

Using the Laboratory's on-site shuttle transportation instead of fleet
vehicles saves operating funds, fuel, and improves Bay Area air
quality.

For those of you who would like information on how you can save
energy at home, the Lab's In-House Energy Management Program is sponsoring an
Energy Awareness Fair from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, at the
cafeteria. Representatives from PG&E and the Energy and Environment
Division will be on hand to answer questions and distribute information.

John George Conway, retired staff scientist in the Materials Sciences Division
(then MMRD), died on Sept. 26 from complications following a stroke. He was
73.

Conway was hired by Glenn Seaborg in 1947 to establish a spectroscopy lab at
Berkeley. He had worked as a spectroscopist on the Manhattan Project in Los
Alamos since 1944, measuring the quantity and purity of plutonium and
uranium.

Conway's Berkeley Lab research focused primarily on the radioactive elements of
the actinide series, measuring the properties of such man-made elements as
californium, berkelium and einsteinium. He was the first person to measure the
isotope shifts of americium and plutonium and to observe the spectra of curium
and californium. His non-nuclear research ranged from measuring the temperature
of the sun's corona to exploring ways to make a better light bulb.

During his 39-year career at the Laboratory, Conway published more than 100
papers on his research into the properties of radioactive elements. He was
selected twice as a visiting researcher at the University of Paris, South, in
Orsay, France. He was a fellow in the Optical Society of America and a member
of the American Physical Society and the Society for Applied Spectroscopy. He
was president of the Northern California Society for Spectroscopy and chaired
the San Francisco Science Symposium in 1966.

For his outstanding work in the field of spectroscopy, Conway received a Louis
A. Strait Award in 1966 from the Northern California Society of Applied
Spectroscopy and a William F. Meggers Award in 1970 from the Optical Society of
America.

After retiring from the Lab in 1986, Conway continued working as a consultant
in atomic spectroscopy at Livermore until the time of his death.

Conway was very active in the community, having served on the El Cerrito City
Council from 1958 to 1963. He was elected mayor in 1961. As a coucil member, he
championed recreation services and parks, and the construction of the El
Cerrito Library, the El Cerrito Public Safety Building and the El Cerrito
Community Center. Afterward he served on the East Bay Municipal Utility
District recreation committee that opened San Pablo Reservoir to public use.
He also served on the Contra Costa County Parks and Recreation Commission for
eight years.

Conway's wife, Florence Bittner, died in 1992. He survived by sons John, Mike,
and Patrick; daughters Jane, Ann, Kate, and Caroline; and five grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, St. John the
Baptist Catholic Church of El Cerrito, or to the donor's favorite charity.

President Clinton's Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments (ACHRE)
in its final report said that significant progress has been made during the
past 50 years in developing safeguard procedures to protect human research
subjects. However, the committee also urged the federal government and
biomedical researchers to review current practices to ensure that the rights
and interests of society's most vulnerable members are protected. The committee
further asserted that past experiments, conducted between 1944 and 1974, as
well as environmental releases of radiation during that period, have left a
profound "legacy of distrust." To this end, it recommended guidelines for
compensating victims. ACHRE was chaired by Dr. Ruth Faden, director of the
Bioethics Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

A member of the House task force that proposed legislation to abolish DOE has
conceded that the proposal is "dead" this year and may not ever be successful
because of the complexity of the department and the difficulty of figuring out
what to do with its disparate parts. Freshman Rep. John Ensign (R-Nev.), told
reporters, "I'm not sure you'll ever be able to dismantle DOE: it's that much
of a disaster in terms of how you would do it because it is so complex." He
likened the task of differentiating between DOE's energy, nuclear weapons, and
environmental programs to "straightening out spaghetti."

The National Research Council has released its rankings of 3,634 doctoral
programs at 274 institutions. Out of 36 UC Berkeley programs surveyed, 35 were
ranked in the nation's top ten. Cal's doctoral programs in chemistry,
mathematics, and statistics were ranked number one; the programs in physics and
geosciences were ranked third. The report is available on the National Academy
of Science's World Wide Web site. The address is: http://www.nas.edu

Gregory Herek, a research psychologist at UC Davis, will speak at the
Laboratory on Tuesday, Oct. 10, which is National Coming Out Day. His talk,
scheduled for noon in the Bldg. 50 Auditorium, is entitled, "Heterosexuals'
Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men: Does Coming Out Make a Difference?"

In addition to ongoing studies of the impact of AIDS on gay and bisexual men,
Herek's empirical research includes studies of heterosexuals' attitudes toward
gay men and lesbians, violence against them, public attitudes concerning the
AIDS epidemic, and public education about AIDS.

A Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American
Psychological Society (APS), Herek testified on behalf of the APA and five
other national professional associations before the U.S. House of
Representatives Armed Services Committee during hearings on gay people in the
U.S. military.

CAPTIONS -- The Lab closed out September with two presentations celebrating National
Hispanic Heritage Month. Above, a musician with Mariachi Tapatío strums
a guitarrón, the traditional "bass guitar" of Mexican music. Mariachi
Tapatío played for a lunchtime audience on the cafeteria lawn on Sept.
20.

Michael Smith, director of the American Indian Film Institute, visited the
Lab on Sept. 27. He presented "Borders," a short film entry into the American
Indian Film Festival. Smith also described his work with the Institute and the
evolving depictions of Native Americans in the media.

The Lab's In-House Energy Management (IHEM) program was given
seals of approval with the announcement of four awards from the Department of
Energy and the Federal Energy Management Program. Awards were given for fiscal
year 1994 accomplishments that included reducing energy consumption and costs
by 8 and 26 percent, respectively.

Doug Lockhart, chief of the IHEM Group in the Facilities Department, received a
DOE IHEM Individual Award for his leadership role in conducting energy studies
and implementing energy retrofits in several lab buildings. He also negotiated
a new contract to change energy suppliers, which accounted for a decrease in
cost (26%) far surpassing the decrease in consumption (8%).

Jon Gibson, an electrician in Maintenance and Operations, received a FEMA
Individual Award for his work with the site-wide Energy Monitoring and Control
System. As lead EMCS electrician, he is responsible for the installation,
operation, and maintenance of all types of EMCS devices and their subordinate
electrical systems. Among those systems installed in FY94, an annual savings of
$57,820 has resulted.

FEMP acknowledged a team consisting of Lockhart, E&E's Dale Sartor,
Facilities' Chuck Taberski, and Michael Rhea of Michael Rhea and Associates.
The team negotiated an energy savings performance contract for Bldg. 62, in
which the subcontractor implemented a comprehensive energy efficiency plan,
including lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), and
process load energy efficiency measurements.

IHEM continues to implement energy efficiency strategies lab-wide, including
retrofit projects in Bldgs. 70, 70A, 50, 77, 54, 72, and 76, which include
lighting, HVAC, and control systems. "By 1997 we plan to have all lighting
retrofitted," said Lockhart, "most motors replaced with premium efficiency
ones, and HVAC controls in almost every building. We will also have replaced
half a dozen boilers."

On Friday, Sept. 22, more than 700 Lab employ-ees participated in the 18th
Annual Laboratory Runaround, a 3.0-kilometer fun run that started near the Fire
House, wound along the hilly roads around the Lab, and ended in a big party on
the cafeteria lawn.

Sports enthusiast Glenn Seaborg gave the final countdown, and 9 minutes, 52
seconds later, Ken Gregorich was first to cross the finish line. A few minutes
later, Kazuko Aoyagi finished first among women runners with a time of 12:31.
This was her third victory in a row.

Afterwards, participants picked up complimentary T-shirts, indulged in
refreshments provided by the Cafeteria, and enjoyed the inaugural performance
of the Lab's new Music Club. A few brave souls competed for best women's
biceps, best men's legs, funkiest running shoes, most pregnant, and youngest
participant. In the end, a good time was had by all, thanks in large part to
the many volunteers who make it all happen each year.

Special thanks to those who helped from Administration, Transportation, Site
Access, UCB Police Services, Facilities, Accelerator Operations, Riggers,
Electronics Engineering, PID, TEID, and the Cafeteria

Calendar items may be sent via e-mail to currents_calendar@lbl.gov,
Fax to X6641, or Lab mail to Bldg. 65B. The deadline is 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.9 m o n d a y

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM

"Theoretical and Computer-simulation Studies of Damage Formation and
Propagation in Semiconductors, Metallic Thin Films, and Structural Materials"
will be presented by Dimitrios Maroudas of UCSB at 4 p.m. in the Pitzer
Auditorium; Refreshments, 3:30 p.m.

EMILIO SEGRE DISTINGUISHEDLECTURESHIP

"Quantum Mechanics and Electrons in Strong Magnetic Fields" will be
presented by Bertrand I. Halperin of Harvard University at 6:15 p.m. in the
George C. Pimentel Hall.

INTRODUCTION TO CURRENTRESEARCH SEMINAR

"Pulsars" will be presented by Dan Backer of UCB at 3:30 p.m. in 643
Campbell Hall.

10 t u e s d a y

DATABASE TRAINING

Current Contents via MELVYL at 11 a.m. in Bldg. 50-134.

GREEN TEAM

Annual meeting & election at noon in the Bldg. 70A Conference
Room.

LSD SPECIAL LECTURE -- DR. DEAN ORNISH

Cardiologist Dean Ornish will be the guest speaker in a special seminar
sponsored by the Life Sciences Division's Atherosclerosis and Lipoprotein Group
from noon until 1 p.m. in the Bldg. 66 Auditorium.

STRING THEORY SEMINAR

"Bethe Ansatz for Higher Spin Eight Vertex Models" will be presented by
Takashi Takebe of UCB at 2:10 p.m. in 430 Birge Hall.

"Quantum State Specific Measurements as a Probe of Mechanisms and
Dynamics of Elementary Surface Chemical Reactions" will be presented by Daniel
J. Auerbach of IBM Almaden Research Center at 1:30 p.m. in the Bldg. 66
Auditorium.

DATABASE TRAINING

TULIP (full-text Materials Sci. journals) at 3 p.m. in Bldg. 62-339.

DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY COLLOQUIUM

"A Large Bulk Galaxy Flow on Large Scales" will be presented by Tod
Lauer of KPNO at 3:30 p.m. in 1 Le Conte Hall; Refreshments, 3 p.m., 661
Campbell Hall.

PHYSICS DIVISION RESEARCH PROGRESS MEETING

"Recent Results of Electroweak Measurements with Heavy Flavors" will be
presented by Dave Charlton of the University of Birmingham at 4 p.m. in Bldg.
50A-5132; Refreshments, 3:40 p.m.

13 f r i d a y

CENTER FOR BEAM PHYSICS SEMINAR

"Time-Dependent Channel Formation in a Laser-Produced Plasma" will be
presented by Peter E. Young of LLNL at 10:30 a.m. in the Bldg. 71 Conference
Room.

CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGY SEMINAR

"Analyses of Microbial Communities in Nature using Fatty Acid Methyl
Ester Profiles: Patterns of Diversity among the Actinoplanes" will be
presented by George Garrity of Merck Research Labs at noon in Koshland Hall,
Room 338.

BIOMECHANICAL ENGINEERING SEMINAR

"Improved Non-Invasive Diagnosis of Valvular and Carotid Disease" will
be presented by Dorian Liepmann of UCB at 1 p.m. in 3110 Etcheverry Hall;
Refreshments.

"Catalytic and Electrocatalytic Properties of Early Transition Metal
Nitrides" will be presented by Levi Thompson of the University of Michigan at 4
p.m. in the Pitzer Auditorium; Refreshments, 3:30 p.m.

PHYSICS DEPARTMENT COLLOQUIUM

"High Energy Density Physics in the Laboratory with Lasers" will be
presented by Michael Campbell of LLNL at 4:30 p.m. in 1 Le Conte; Refreshments,
4 p.m., 375 Le Conte.

17 t u e s d a y

DATABASE TRAINING

SPIN (Physics and Astronomy database) at 11 a.m. in Bldg. 50-134.

INTRODUCTION TO CURRENT RESEARCH SEMINAR

"Coronal Gas in the Galactic Halo: New Far Ultraviolet Observations with
`ORFEUS'" will be presented by Mark Hurwitz of UCB at 3:30 p.m. in 643 Campbell
Hall.

Health Services is offering the second of two flu vaccination clinics--to
employees over age 18--from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Oct. 12, at Bldg. 26.
The cost is $8, payable by check that day to V.N.A.H.N.C. (Visiting Nurse
Association & Hospice of Northern California). Please call Health Services
((X6266) for an appointment. It is suggested that you contact your own
physician if you have specific personal concerns about receiving the vaccine.
For more information, contact Nancy Montoya, R.N., at X6266.

The 1996 Entertainment Coupon Books are now available from the LBL Employee
Buying Service. The books, which are available for Alameda, Contra Costa and
San Francisco counties, cost $40 each, and offer savings of up to 50 percent on
dining, travel, shopping, theater, sports and more. The books are available
from Helen Coleman of the Employees Buying Service, who is in the cafeteria
lobby from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

In celebration of the 1995 grape harvest, the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce will
host a wine and food tasting, complete with grape stomping, from 2 to 5 p.m. on
Sunday, Oct. 22, at the Berkeley Marina Marriott.
The newest California wines will be featured alongside food offerings from
several East Bay restaurants. Alice Waters of Chez Panisse will be guest
hosting the event. Proceeds from a wine cellar raffle will be donated to the
"Edible Schoolyard" at Martin Luther King Middle School.
Specially priced $25 tickets (normally $30 advance and $35 at the door) are
available to all Laboratory employees. Contact Shaunn Fennessey in Community
Relations (X5122) for tickets or additional information.

Excerpts from the newly published book "Atoms, Bombs, and Eskimo Kisses: A
Memoir of Father and Son," by Claudio Segrè, son of the late Nobel
Laureate Emilio Segrè, will be read by members of the Segrè
family at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the Black Oak Book Store, 1491
Shattuck Ave, Berkeley. Claudio's widow, Elizabeth will be joined for the
reading by children Francesca, Joel, and Gino (now a graduate student at the
Lab). She says the book centers on the theme of "how a scientist father doesn't
know how to communicate with his son." Emilio, who worked at the Laboratory
from the late 1930s until his retirement in 1972, was awarded the 1959 Nobel
prize in physics. He died in 1989. Claudio died earlier this year.